This invention relates to a device for enhancing the teaching of the braille alphabet, and more particularly, to a device which allows user to simulate the writing of the braille characters and to immediately thereafter tactilely sense the written braille character.
When writing braille a stylus/slate assembly overlies the paper such that the writer makes indentations in the paper therebelow. Such indentations present an arrangement of raised/embossed dots on the paper. The pattern of such embossed dots in a six dot array corresponds to selected alphabetic, numeral and punctuation characters. As the user must turn the paper over for reading the embossed dots, the writer must write in braille from right to left. As such, each character to be designated by the basic braille matrix, which comprises two columns of three possible embossed dots, must be written from right to left. Thus, the writer must be able to recognize the braille characters in a mirror image so as to read and write the same.
Various devices in reading the braille characters have been relatively complex in construction. Such devices have not recognized the need to allow the user to write a braille character and then to immediately read such written character. It is also desirable during the teaching of braille, particularly in the writing thereof, to present the braille character to the user in an enlarged configuration. Such a configuration is desirable as the fingers of the untutored braille student are relatively insensitive to the nuances of the raised portions/embossed dots of the braille matrix. Thus it is desirable to magnify the braille characters so as to make the braille character readily apparent to the new user.
It is recognized in some circles that one cannot learn to read the braille alphabet before attempting to write the same. I believe that such construction can be accomplished by providing apparatus which readily combines the reading and writing instructional functions so as to concurrently learn the same.
I have invented a braille teaching device which allows a person to concurrently learn reading/writing of the braille alphabet. My device basically presents a planar base presenting opposed reading and writing surfaces. A plurality of braille matrices or cells are placed in rows along the base. Each cell includes an arrangement of six bores arranged in two columns of three bores so as to correspond to the "braille" matrix/cell. Each cell has a series of six pegs or dowels within the respective bores. To simulate writing a braille character the pegs are pushed to a position flush with the writing surface of the base corresponding to the embossed dots which represents in braille the character desired to be written. This action simulates the writing of braille, i.e. placing the embossed dots on the underlying paper. Upon completing the writing of the desired letter, numeral, etc. the user can then rotate the entire base 180 degrees about an imaginary horizontal axis so as to present the reading surface. The ends of the previously plunged dowels are now displaced from the reading surface similar to the embossed dots in the braille matrix. By tactilely sensing the raised ends the user reads the previously written character.
It is therefor a general object of this invention to provide a training device for concurrently teaching the reading and writing of braille.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device, as aforesaid, which presents the concurrent functions of reading and writing the braille alphabet so as to enhance the learning of the same.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a braille teaching device, as aforesaid, which magnifies the written portion of the braille characters so as to enhance the tactile sensing of the same.
Another object of this invention is to provide a braille teaching device, as aforesaid, which allows the user to write a series of braille characters and immediately thereafter read the same.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description take in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, a now preferred embodiment of this invention.